Category Archives: Society Islands

Including Bora Bora, Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Ralatea Tahaa

Teti'aroa aerial view

Teti’aroa, aka Brando Island

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Teti’aroa is an atoll (see last blog), which means there are islets or motus but no main island.  This particular atoll has no passe so we have no way of entering the lagoon.  But we were able to secure Sugar Shack to one of the five available moorings.  The five moorings are located just off the motu Rimatuu.  These are primarily used for charter boats who bring tourists here from Tahiti (33 miles south).  This is such a pretty spot that we decided to stay for a few days.  We had glorious sunrises over Rimatuu.

Sunrise over Teti'aroa

Sunrise over Teti’aroa

The tide exposes the plethora of rocks during low tide in the morning.  It still takes my breath away to see the surge breaking on the reef so close to our home.  The top photo shows the exposed reef as the tide goes out and the bottom shows the same spot with the incoming wave.

Surge and reef at Teti'aroa

Surge and reef at Teti’aroa

Charter Boat Hysteria

The charter boats come to Teti’aroa from Tahiti.  We had heard that the mooring balls were owned and operated by the charter boats but that cruisers could tie up to them if one was available.  We had tied up to the last one furthest away from the entrance.  Mainly because it was available and because it was not as close to the reef as the other available one.

At 0730 the next morning, the skipper from one of the charter boats came by and asked, “how long we planned on staying?”  We told him a few days and he mumbled something about “owning” the mooring.  He said that a lot of boats would be arriving later in the morning and he may have to tie up behind us.  We said, “no problem” and he went on his way.  We had heard that this might happen.  But what we were told was that we would have to give up the mooring and tie up behind the charter boat – which was not ideal.

By 0945, 6 charter boats had arrived.  Keep in mind there are only 5 moorings and we were on one and another charter boat was on another.  So, what happened you may ask?  The strangest thing we have ever seen.

The Game of Musical Chairs:

A Poe (name of charter) 40’ Lagoon tied up to a mooring.  Then a Poe 38’ Lagoon tied up to the first one’s stern (using their bridle and a line tied to one cleat on the stern of the first boat).  Then another Poe 40’ Lagoon tied up to the 2nd one’s stern.  What?  Yep, 3 boats tied on to one mooring.  Then a “Moorings” boat came in (that is a charter company called “Moorings”) and he tied up to a new mooring ball closest to the entrance.  And then a 70’ charter cat came in and tied to the 3rd Poe’s stern.  If you can believe it, then a Tahiti Tours Fountain Pajot came in and circled the group of boats.  It seemed to me a certain understanding was going on that we were not a part of.  The charter cat that was here the night before with the skipper who talked to us, left his mooring.  What?  Why would he do that?  He left the mooring for the Tahiti Tours boat and went behind the 70’ cat and tied up to him.  So, now 5 boats are tied bow to stern all using one mooring ball!

5 Charter boats on 1 mooring ball

5 Charter boats on 1 mooring ball

This is absolutely not advisable.  I am assuming they know their mooring and the strength of the lines, but still who would take this chance?  The captains spent the next 90 minutes ferrying their guests to the beach.  They only take 2 guest per dinghy ride in order to get up on plane to safely cross over the reef and surge.

Morning Swim?

We had lots of Teti’aroa friends protecting the boat throughout our stay at this atoll.  Several black tip sharks and lemon sharks swam around checking out our undercarriage.  The waters around Teti’aroa were brimming with sea life!

Protection from the sea

Protection from the sea

These sharks are relatively harmless.  They are not aggressive, but we still respected them and gave them their space.  No swimming or showering off the back of the boat for us.

We had hoped one of the boat captains would offer to bring us to shore since we did not want to risk damaging Sweetie.  However, they were very occupied with their 75+ guests so we stayed on board.

The next morning, we had swung around to have our stern pointing at the reef.  Now we were only 45-50 meters away from the breaking surge.  Still, nerve racking.

Surge over reef feeling really close

Surge over reef feeling really close

This was a truly gorgeous atoll.  We would have loved to explore the shore and sea of Teti’aroa a bit but the conditions were just not right.

Making of an atoll

The Making of an Atoll: The Subsidence Phenomenon

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Every single island in the Tuamotus, and a few islands in the other archipelagos, are atolls.  So, what is an atoll?

An atoll begins to form when a volcanic island becomes inactive.  All of the islands in French Polynesia are slowly sinking and moving west.  Some have just been sinking a lot longer than others.  The volcanic islands in the Tuamotus are some of the oldest in the region.

The volcanic island sinks or subsides under its own weight.  At the same time, a coral reef forms around the island.  This takes about 6 million years.  The coral reef can be between 0 and 200 meters deep.  Anything deeper than 200 meters soon dies as it does not have enough light to survive. 

Over time, the volcanic mountain disappears completely.  The coral proliferates as the volcano slips into the ocean.  New colonies spring up on the skeletons of the old ones, constantly renewing the calcareous crown of the surface.  Eventually, what remains of the mountain is an underwater basalt platform covered with a thick calcareous crust.

This display is a good example of the making of an atoll.  The image up front shows the volcano, the center shows the mountain sinking and the furthest one is an atoll.

Making of an atoll

Making of an atoll

Typically, there is a passe that allows vessels to enter the lagoon that is surrounded by the coral reef.  Some atolls have no passe which makes them impossible to visit.  Other atolls have a dangerous passe which has to be navigated during a certain time (slack tide) to avoid damaging your vessel.

Teti’aroa’s atoll

Teti’aroa has no passe.  There is no way to bring the big boat into the protected lagoon.  However, there are 5 mooring balls located near the reef buried in over 50 meters of water.  We were able to secure one of these moorings.  The photo below is from our Navionic app which shows a light gray reef all the way around the atoll.  The yellow spots indicate the motus or islets and the blue (inside the gray) is the lagoon.  The gray represents the coral around the motus.

Teti'aroa motus

Teti’aroa motus

The Brando Resort

The History behind Teti’aroa atoll

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Imagine a vacation spot for Tahitian royalty that also captured the heart of Marlon Brando.  That spot is located 33 miles north of Tahiti called Teti’aroa atoll.  It’s a small atoll with 12 small motus.  The lagoon in the center of the atoll is 4.3 miles wide and 30 meters deep.  However, there is no reef opening which makes access impossible for boats.

It’s hard to imagine that Tahitians need a vacation from Tahiti, an island paradise.  However, the Teti’aroa atoll became a place for Tahitian chiefs to entertain themselves.  What did that consist of?  Song, dance, fishing and feasting. It was also a special place for the ariori to practice their custom of ha’apori’a. Which included eating to gain weight and whitening their skin. Plump and pale was a sign of “well-being and prosperity” for the chiefs.

The red triangle is Sugar Shack.  The blue arrow shows you where the Brando Resort is located. Green arrow is the airport.

Teti'aroa motus

Teti’aroa motus

History of Teti’aroa

William Bligh was the first European to visit the atoll in 1789. He was looking for early mutineers.  In 1904, the royal family sold the motu to Johnston Walter Williams. Williams, a Canadian national was the only dentist in Tahiti. Williams managed the islets as a residence and a copra plantation.

Marlon Brando “discovered” Teti’aroa in 1960 while scouting filming locations for Mutiny on the Bounty. Scenes for that movie were shot on Tahiti and Mo’orea.  Brando purchased Teti’aroa’s atolls from one of Williams’s direct descendants, Mrs. Duran.  The islets were under a 99-year lease by Marlon Brando.  

Teti'aroa aka Brando Island

Teti’aroa aka Brando Island

Wanting to live on the atoll, Brando built a small village on Motu Onetahi in 1970. It consisted of an airstrip, 12 simple bungalows, a kitchen hut, dining hall, and bar.  Everything was built from local materials. Those included coconut wood, thatch roofs and even large seashells for sinks. The village became a place for friends, family and scientists. Particular those studying the atoll’s ecology and archaeology.  Brando signed a new will and trust agreement that left no instructions for island.

Teti’aroa Pacific Beachcomber SC began construction on Onetahi in 2009. The first phase of building included reconstruction and reorientation of the runway. The islet Onetahi now includes a luxury resort, spa, research station, staff village and private runway.

Locals completed work on The Brando Resort in July 2014.  Eight of Marlon’s eleven children and the Brando Estate manage the motus.

Another fabulous link of the famous The Brando Resort.  You too can stay at the Brando Resort for a mere 3300 euros a night 🙂

Brando resort off Teti'aroa

Brando Island off Teti’aroa